BIOS updates stuck in "Flashing embedded controller"
Hi,
We are in the process of deploying BIOS updates to all of our Lenovo laptops. In total around 300.
The updates are deployed through Config Manager aka SCCM / MECM.
With this deployment, the system is being prepped with a BIOS update, which will flash on the next reboot.
Before executing, the script will evaluate model and BIOS version and date, to ensure we only flash models not already flashed to latest version and to ensure we flash the correct BIOS file corresponding with the hardware model. In close to 100% of cases there's a success on this task when reading return codes and output from the script
So far, so good.
Following this, we've observed the following:
Around 80% of cases the BIOS is flashed correctly on the next reboot. Everything is as it should be.
Around 10% of cases the BIOS is not being updated on the next reboot. Nothing happens. This can fixed by attempted to flash the BIOS again. (Mostly)
Around 10% of cases the BIOS starts flashing, but gets stuck in "Flashing embedded controller". This is stuck for hours and will not clear until you do a reset of the computer with a pin through the whole on the bottom side of the laptop.
As far as I can tell, the last issue is very common, and has been occurring for many months, through other entries I've read on this forum and others. Some of these has been responded to by Lenovo representatives, but the "solution" is always to put a pin through the reset hole after waiting several hours.
Obviously, in an enterprise setup, the above solution as absolutely unacceptable. On top of this, a failure rate of 20% is simply too high.
Models we've observed this with ranges from T14s gen 1 and 2, X1 carbon gen 9, Yoga gen 6. I don't consider this to be limited to these models, it's simply where we've seen it issue occur, but since the issue seems to be very random in nature, it could be down to simple luck we haven't observed it on other models.
My questions are: Have anyone been able to find a stable solution to the above scenario? Are Lenovo acknowledging this issue and working on a solution?